Electronic cigarette usage tracking system

ABSTRACT

An electronic cigarette usage tracking system includes an electronic cigarette including a housing with an atomizer mounted therein to convert a liquid within the housing into a vapor when air is drawn through the housing. A power supply is electrically coupled to the atomizer is mounted within the housing. A processor is mounted within the housing and is electrically coupled to the power supply. The processor is in communication with the atomizer and tracks an amount of time the atomizer is activated. The amount of time is defined as a percentage of a cigarette smoked wherein a cigarette equivalent is defined when the percentage equals 100%. The processor resets the percentage to 0% each time the percentage attains 100% and the processor counts each cigarette equivalent to define a tracking number.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to smoking amount tracking devices and more particularly pertains to a new smoking amount tracking device for providing a user of an electric cigarette with information regarding usage volume.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an electronic cigarette including a housing having a first end, a second end and a perimeter wall extending between the first and second ends. An atomizer is mounted within the housing and is configured to convert a liquid within the housing into a vapor when air is drawn through the housing. A power supply is electrically coupled to the atomizer is mounted within the housing. A processor is mounted within the housing and is electrically coupled to the power supply. The processor is in communication with the atomizer and tracks an amount of time the atomizer is activated. The amount of time is defined as a percentage of a cigarette smoked wherein a cigarette equivalent is defined when the percentage equals 100%. The processor resets the percentage to 0% each time the percentage attains 100% and the processor counts each cigarette equivalent to define a tracking number.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an electronic cigarette usage tracking system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new smoking amount tracking device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the electronic cigarette usage tracking system 10 generally comprises an electronic cigarette 11 with a housing 12 having a first end 14, a second end 16 and a perimeter wall 18 extending between the first 14 and second 16 ends. An atomizer 22 is mounted within the housing 14 and is configured to convert a liquid within the housing 14 into a vapor when air is drawn through the housing 14. A power supply 24, such as a battery pack, is electrically coupled to the atomizer 22, and is mounted within the housing 14. The above is generic to what are ubiquitously known as “e-cigarettes” and which are found throughout the prior art such as in U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,331 and U.S. Publication No. 2011/0036346 incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood that the general workings of such devices are not germane to the present invention which is directed to tracking the amount of vapor a user inhales when such devices are used. Thus, the present device may include a rechargeable battery accessible through a door 26 and re-fillable fluid cartridges used with such devices.

The system includes a processor 28 that is mounted within the housing 12 and that is electrically coupled to the power supply 24. The processor 28 is in communication with the atomizer 22, or vapor system, and tracks an amount of time the atomizer 22 is activated. This amount of time may then be generally correlated to the amount of nicotine delivered by a generic cigarette. Alternatively, the amount of vapor itself may be metered as is taught in the prior art. Again, this will then be correlated to a real cigarette. It should be noted that the processor 28 may be programmed to correlate the nicotine to different brands or types of tobacco having different levels of nicotine. The amount of time, or quantity of vapor or nicotine, is defined as a percentage of a cigarette smoked wherein a cigarette equivalent is defined when the percentage equals 100%. The processor 28 resets the percentage to 0% each time the percentage attains 100% and the processor counts each cigarette equivalent to define a tracking number. Thus, as a person uses the electronic cigarette 11, a tally will begin which will indicate the amount of nicotine inhaled by the user as its equivalent to real cigarettes. This is beneficial as a cartridge for an electronic cigarette typically contains an amount of nicotine equivalent to a large quantity of cigarettes.

A display 30 is mounted on the housing. The display 30 is electrically coupled to the processor 30 and displays the tracking number. The display 30 may be an LCD display, LED display or the like. Alternatively, the processor 28 may include a transmitter to transmit the tracking number to a user's cellular phone or other electronic device equipped with means for receiving wireless signals. A reset switch 32 may be mounted on the housing 12 and is electrically coupled to the processor 28. The reset switch 32 sets the tracking number to zero when actuated and may also be used to reset the percentage to 0%.

A plurality of light emitters 34, indicated as the LED level system in FIG. 6, is mounted on the perimeter wall 18 and are equally spaced from each other. The light emitters 34 are each electrically coupled to the processor. The light emitters 34 are sequentially illuminated from the first end 14 to the second end 16 as the percentage increases from 0% to 100%, wherein the second end 16 is the portion including an exit conduit 38 and therefore is the portion inserted into the user's mouth. The light emitters 34 are turned off when a next one of the light emitters 34 is turned on. The intention of the light emitters 34, which may comprised LEDs, is to indicate to the user how close they are to 100%. The light emitters 34 may be positioned in groups of light emitters 34 forming rings around the housing such that each group, in turn, is illuminated. The light emitters 34 will be evenly matched such that if there are five light emitters 34, the first one will be illuminated until 20% is reached and each next light emitter 34 is turned on at each 20% increment. The actual number of light emitters 34, or groups thereof, is not critical but it is preferred that at least four and up to 10 light emitters be used. Active lights 36, showing that the electronic cigarette 11 is being used and is working, may be mounted on the first end 14.

In use, the electronic cigarette 11 is used in a conventional manner to vaporize nicotine containing fluids while the processor 28, or central processing unit (CPU), tracks the usage thereof. The amount of usage is then correlated to conventional cigarettes and this is tracked to allow provide the user the benefit of knowing how much nicotine they are inhaling. This is converted to a generic cigarette standard to facilitate comprehension of such to the user.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. An electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system comprising: an electronic cigarette including; a housing having a first end, a second end and a perimeter wall extending between said first and second ends; an atomizer being mounted within said housing and being configured to convert a liquid within said housing into a vapor when air is drawn through said housing; a power supply being electrically coupled to said atomizer being mounted within said housing; and a processor being mounted within said housing and being electrically coupled to said power supply, said processor being in communication with said atomizer and tracking an amount of time said atomizer is activated, said amount of time being defined as a percentage of a cigarette smoked wherein a cigarette equivalent is defined when said percentage equals 100%, said processor resetting said percentage to 0% each time said percentage attains 100%, said processor counting each cigarette equivalent to define a tracking number.
 2. The electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system according to claim 1, further including a display being mounted on said housing, said display being electrically coupled to said processor and displaying said tracking number.
 3. The electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system according to claim 2, further including a reset switch being mounted on said housing and being electrically coupled to said processor, said reset switch setting said tracking number to zero when actuated.
 4. The electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system according to claim 1, further including a reset switch being mounted on said housing and being electrically coupled to said processor, said reset switch setting said tracking number to zero when actuated.
 5. The electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system according to claim 1, further including a plurality of light emitters being mounted on said perimeter wall, said light emitters being equally spaced from each other, said light emitters each being electrically coupled to said processor, said light emitters being sequentially illuminated from said first end to said second as said percentage increases from 0% to 100%, said light emitters being turned off when a next one of said light emitters is turned on.
 6. The electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system according to claim 2, further including a plurality of light emitters being mounted on said perimeter wall, said light emitters being equally spaced from each other, said light emitters each being electrically coupled to said processor, said light emitters being sequentially illuminated from said first end to said second as said percentage increases from 0% to 100%, said light emitters being turned off when a next one of said light emitters is turned on.
 7. An electronic atomization cigarette usage tracking system comprising: an electronic cigarette including; a housing having a first end, a second end and a perimeter wall extending between said first and second ends; an atomizer being mounted within said housing and being configured to convert a liquid within said housing into a vapor when air is drawn through said housing; a power supply being electrically coupled to said atomizer being mounted within said housing; a processor being mounted within said housing and being electrically coupled to said power supply, said processor being in communication with said atomizer and tracking an amount of time said atomizer is activated, said amount of time being defined as a percentage of a cigarette smoked wherein a cigarette equivalent is defined when said percentage equals 100%, said processor resetting said percentage to 0% each time said percentage attains 100%, said processor counting each cigarette equivalent to define a tracking number; a display being mounted on said housing, said display being electrically coupled to said processor and displaying said tracking number; a reset switch being mounted on said housing and being electrically coupled to said processor, said reset switch setting said tracking number to zero when actuated; and a plurality of light emitters being mounted on said perimeter wall, said light emitters being equally spaced from each other, said light emitters each being electrically coupled to said processor, said light emitters being sequentially illuminated from said first end to said second as said percentage increases from 0% to 100%, said light emitters being turned off when a next one of said light emitters is turned on. 